


Candle Salad

by truth_renowned



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 14:20:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11946063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truth_renowned/pseuds/truth_renowned
Summary: Angie and Ana throw a baby shower for Peggy. Howard isn't invited.





	Candle Salad

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post about candle salads](http://copperbadge.tumblr.com/post/164723508236/elvirathequeen-shadow13dickpistons), sent to me by lillianmmalter. Blame her.

Peggy Carter was not one for celebrations, especially ones where she was the guest of honor, but she couldn’t get out of the baby shower. Angie insisted on holding one for her, and Ana insisted on it being at Howard’s and catering it herself. There were minimal decorations and, thankfully, the promise of no baby-shower games. Another plus was that it only the four of them: Peggy, Ana, Angie and Rose Roberts. (Well, five if you counted the little one who was just a month away from being born.) 

The spread Ana had set out for the food was incredible, with finger sandwiches, a cheese plate with crackers, a variety of salads, deviled eggs, and one very interesting display of what looked like eight upright bananas in a bed of greens.

“Ana, what are these?” Peggy asked, pointing to the platter.

Ana smiled. “Oh, these are candle salads. I found the recipe in one of Edwin’s cookbooks. Lighting a candle can represent a new life, so it’s very apropos. It’s lettuce at the bottom, then a ring of pineapple. The banana in the middle is the candle, and the cherry on top is meant to be the flame. The whipped cream is the candle wax dripping down the side. Isn’t it adorable?”

Peggy was about to respond when Howard walked into the room.

“Is someone having a party and I wasn’t invited?”

“Yes, we are and no, you’re not,” Peggy said. “Daniel wasn’t invited and neither are you.”

He harrumphed, but his face lit up. “Oooh, food.”

“Not for you,” Ana admonished. “This is Peggy’s baby shower.”

“In my house,” Howard replied around a deviled egg he had shoved in his mouth. “That means I get to eat.”

He looked at the table again, leaning his head in to study the platter. Suddenly, he started laughing uncontrollably. 

Peggy felt her blood boiling. “What is so funny?”

He pointed to the candle salads. “Are you kidding me? You can’t see it?”

“See what?”

“These,” he flourished with his hand. “The bananas, the cherries.” He started laughing again. “And look at the… what is that? Mayonnaise?”

“It’s pineapple-flavored whipped cream,” Ana offered good-naturedly.

Howard grinned. “Even better. But look how it’s going over the side, just like…”

He moved toward the table, standing in front of it with his crotch facing the salads. He pointed toward his belt, then at the table.

Peggy’s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. “Oh, Howard Stark, you are disgusting!”

“What? One of those things got you in this situation in the first place, Peg.”

Angie and Rose simultaneously made hiccuping noises, trying to stifle giggles. Ana stared at the table, obviously confused.

“They’re candle salads,” Ana said, which caused Howard to laugh so hard he snorted.

Peggy glared at him as she pointed toward the door. “Get out!”

He stopped laughing long enough to say, “I was just--”

“I said, get out!”

“It’s my house,” he whined.

Peggy pointed again at the door. “You are banned from this room until we are done with it. Out!”

“Sheesh,” he mumbled on his way out. “Guess what they say about pregnant women and mood swings is true.”

“OUT!”

He wasn’t two feet out of the room when Peggy broke down laughing. She quickly stifled it, not wanting to give Howard the satisfaction and, more importantly, not wanting to offend Ana.

“I still don’t see what everyone finds so amusing,” Ana said, frustrated. “I thought they turned out rather well. They look just like the picture.”

Angie let out a bark of laughter, and Peggy had to bite her bottom lip to keep from joining in. “They are lovely, Ana. Howard is just being a jerk.”

Rose got up from her chair, her face scrunched in a vain effort to keep from laughing again. “I’ll go in the kitchen and… disassemble these… uh… salads before we eat.”

It was Angie’s turn to snort.

“I don’t see why we need to,” Ana said.

Rose grabbed the tray. “Ana, why don’t you help me and I’ll explain?”

Ana nodded and followed Rose, but Peggy could tell she still had no idea what Howard was saying.

As soon as Ana and Rose left the room, Peggy started laughing again, so much so that tears fell down her face. Angie was giggling just as hard, slapping her hand on the table. 

It took several minutes for Peggy to calm down enough to speak. “I feel awful laughing at Ana’s… creations. Poor dear.”

Angie nodded while wiping tears. “She doesn’t think like we do.”

“Or like Howard, thankfully. I hope--”

Peggy was interrupted by Ana yelling, “Oh my goodness!” from the kitchen. Angie looked at her, and the laughter and tears started flowing again.

**Author's Note:**

> Candle salads were and are a thing. Really. Check here: <http://www.thekitchn.com/the-candle-salad-a-retro-recipe-to-make-you-blush-food-history-192197>


End file.
